緬茄(qie)(qie)雕刻是微雕藝(yi)(yi)術,融匯(hui)了美術、雕刻、文學、民間工藝(yi)(yi)制作等元素,是一(yi)種(zhong)精美的(de)、珍稀的(de)藝(yi)(yi)術品(pin),是高(gao)州緬茄(qie)(qie)雕刻藝(yi)(yi)人幾(ji)百年來探索積累的(de)一(yi)種(zhong)獨特而(er)精湛的(de)工藝(yi)(yi)。2012年,緬茄(qie)(qie)雕刻被列入廣東省第四批省級(ji)非(fei)物(wu)質文化遺產代表性項目(mu)名(ming)錄(lu)。
古老的緬茄雕(diao)刻(ke)既保留了(le)高州民間藝術和工(gong)藝的原生形態,在長期的傳承(cheng)和發展(zhan)中又豐(feng)富了(le)茄雕(diao)的價(jia)(jia)值和內容(rong),形成了(le)一種帶有地方特色又具史(shi)學價(jia)(jia)值、藝術價(jia)(jia)值、民俗學價(jia)(jia)值及文化交流價(jia)(jia)值的民間美(mei)術工(gong)藝品。
下刀(dao)前心中(zhong)有(you)(you)畫(hua)。緬茄雕(diao)刻(ke)不但(dan)要(yao)有(you)(you)高超細膩的(de)(de)雕(diao)刻(ke)技巧,而且需要(yao)較深的(de)(de)文(wen)化造詣。平常要(yao)善于觀察,注重細節,心中(zhong)有(you)(you)畫(hua),才能(neng)做出有(you)(you)靈魂的(de)(de)作品。
緬茄(qie)雕雕刻(ke)方法有7種(zhong):即龍(long)(long)(long)(long)、獅、鳳、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)鳳、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)獅、雙龍(long)(long)(long)(long)、雙獅,每(mei)個品(pin)種(zhong)都要經(jing)過7段(duan)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)加工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)程(cheng)序(xu):即粗工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、通(tong)道工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)珠工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、修整工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)須(xu)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、龍(long)(long)(long)(long)麟工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)、拋(pao)光工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong),這樣才(cai)算完成了一件珍(zhen)貴的緬茄(qie)工(gong)(gong)(gong)(gong)藝品(pin)。
傳(chuan)統的方(fang)法(fa)雕刻(ke),緬茄(qie)子要(yao)經過技(ji)(ji)術(shu)處理泡制(zhi)一(yi)定的時(shi)(shi)間,才進行雕刻(ke),一(yi)般用(yong)錫紙紋布包上蠟蒂浸水二天,然后取出晾干,用(yong)茶盅蓋住三天,這樣質地富有(you)粘性,形如人(ren)參,透明光潔亮度(du),雕刻(ke)起來才能(neng)游(you)刃(ren)有(you)余(yu)。高州茄(qie)雕各(ge)時(shi)(shi)期(qi)的產品和品種的制(zhi)用(yong)、技(ji)(ji)術(shu)、選料、布局、工序(xu)、刀法(fa)、技(ji)(ji)巧(qiao),對于(yu)每個品種都(dou)要(yao)經過多種工序(xu)的制(zhi)作,不但一(yi)氣呵(he)成(cheng),還要(yao)全神貫注。
高州緬(mian)茄雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)(ke)是高州緬(mian)茄雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)(ke)藝(yi)人幾百年來探索積累的(de)(de)(de)一種獨特(te)而精(jing)湛的(de)(de)(de)工藝(yi),是廣東省獨有的(de)(de)(de)的(de)(de)(de)雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)(ke)工藝(yi)品。高州民間(jian)藝(yi)人利(li)用高州城(cheng)西岸村一棵490多年樹齡、被譽為“中(zhong)土無雙(shuang)”的(de)(de)(de)緬(mian)茄樹的(de)(de)(de)種子進行雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)(ke),制成印章或(huo)精(jing)美的(de)(de)(de)工藝(yi)品,其雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)(ke)的(de)(de)(de)山水樓閣(ge),圖案精(jing)美,工藝(yi)精(jing)湛;飛禽走獸,細致入微(wei)、形象逼真;故事人物(wu),惟妙惟肖、栩(xu)栩(xu)如生。
400多年來,緬茄雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)工(gong)藝(yi)品歷受廣大群眾喜愛,或掛于身上辟邪、裝飾,或欣賞、收藏,或贈予親友、貴賓(bin)。緬茄雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)藝(yi)術內容來源(yuan)民間,取材于生活(huo);其微(wei)(wei)雕(diao)(diao)刀(dao)法出(chu)自對美好的(de)(de)創(chuang)造,來源(yuan)于對藝(yi)術的(de)(de)追求。經(jing)過歷代傳承、改革和發(fa)展,緬茄微(wei)(wei)型雕(diao)(diao)刻(ke)工(gong)藝(yi)已形成獨有的(de)(de)風格,在嶺南(nan)民間手工(gong)藝(yi)中獨樹一幟。
新中國(guo)成立后,緬茄雕刻發展得較快(kuai),其工藝精品數十次參加(jia)省級、國(guo)家級以(yi)及國(guo)際各種文化(hua)交流活動和(he)展覽并獲獎(jiang),贈送國(guo)家元首和(he)外(wai)國(guo)友(you)人達十多次。近年,緬茄雕刻作品“五羊”“壽(shou)星”“雙(shuang)龍戲珠(zhu)”等13件工藝品被廣(guang)東(dong)省博物館收藏。